Hey Art Shell: Shockingly, most of us figured out Tom Walsh was a disaster all by ourselves

I don’t know how much Art Shell cares, but I guess I should type it anyway: I have proudly been one of the first and fiercest critics of his hiring of Tom Walsh to run the Raider offense (into the ground), and I have never spoken to Mike Lombardi about it.

Not once. Not on the record, not off, not via any number of Shell’s suggested vehicles of rampant back-stabbia.

In fact, I don’t think Lombardi speaks to me any more, at least if I’m measuring by our silent press box passings since about mid-2005.

Sheesh, Art! You don’t think any sane person who knows a bit about the NFL couldn’t have come to this conclusion with or without the help of a Raider insider? Or that Walsh could’ve proven that such supposed criticism was wrong by actually, you know, producing a competent offense, one that wasn’t ridiculed even by his own players? (Or did Lombardi get a hold of Moss and Porter, too? The reach of that man!)

Or that anybody else could’ve watched a training camp practice (the final straw for me) or a pre-season game or any of your first 11 games and realized that, hey, Tom Walsh wasn’t exactly a superstar titan mind of imminent offensive greatness?

Do you really imagine it took an insider conspiracy to ruin Walsh’s chance–and make you look bad and make Al Davis look bad along the way… and that it wasn’t JUST YOUR MISTAKE ALL THE WAY?

Art, come on.

I know, I know: I probably have delusions of grandeur. Art probably is talking about other media members who have ridiculed Walsh, and there are many. Art probably does know some people Lombardi has talked to–and maybe Lombardi has ripped Walsh and Art to those people. I really have no idea.

Maybe Art doesn’t care that much about what I or anybody else writes. But then… why the Shell Explosion yesterday? What in the world was that?

Here’s what it was: A decent man, in over his head, sad about his friend (I get that), desperate to get a hold of a lost situation.

Davis is… well, maybe he’s not capable of getting hold of the Raiders on a full-time basis any more. Maybe. Shell obviously has never felt comfortable with Lombardi and Lombardi with Shell, since Lombardi tried to hire Bobby Petrino while Shell was getting his offer to come back from Davis.

So really, it goes back to Davis, of course, and the listing ship. Moss and Porter jumped off a long time ago, but are still collecting checks. Walsh got shoved off, deservedly.

Now Shell is the only man grabbing the wheel, and the waves are pouring over the sides, he’s frustrated, the ship is sinking… It must be that dang whisper campaign that caused all of this! Surely only that!

I thought a silent, stoic Shell might even ride this out with a little end-season success, but now? Uh…

…But hey: It’s “da Raidahs!”

(and what about that defense?)

FZ

Why feel sorry for Art Shell? Didn’t he know he was being hired by Al Davis? Didn’t he know he was powerless to deal with the likes of Moss and Porter? Didn’t he know that it might turn out this way? What is the name of that river in Egypt?
Da Raiders…no no Da Nile.

Fish

Art you are a great “Raider” but you have strengths and weaknesses that are magnified in the “Head Coach” Position. Even Tom Landry showed communication skills and emotion on the sidelines, you can’t spark anyone’s plug by being expressionless. It is “perceived” that you don’t or can’t motivate or lead whether or not true. As a man, you are a diamond in the rough and even as a coach i.e. Offensive Line Coach, Tight End Coach, Offensive Coordinator etc you have nothing be integrity and respect but you have to be perceived by taking the bull by the horns and making changes before they are to late despite your inner relationships. When you see your coaches not making half time adjustments, not mixing it up, calling inconsistent, idiotic plays you have to step in quickly and resolve the problem. Hell if I was Mike Lombardi I would of taken Walsh out after the first 4 games..this is a business Art, let your inner pride go and get back to x’s and o’s and start punching people in the mouth that can’t block or care to run routes properly. Screw the political bullshit and start teaching and drilling football techniques and ways to win with creativity and fun….Its sad to see this, I loved watching you play and I love the Raiders and will pray you can find a way to alter your sense of leadership and mingle it in with your sense of integrity and loyalty to the Raiders…..

T. N.

Where does this Art Shell actually live everyday, I wonder…definitely not on this same planet as millions of other average NFL fans do. It didn’t have to take an insider conspirator for us working-class fans to figure out what he’s still desperately trying to defend. I’m amazed at how Al Davis has been able to take all this. His I-was-too-stupid-to-fire-him-the-first-time, hand-picked head coach somehow still managed to set a new low for his already-lower-than-low beloved franchise with his babbling, incoherent deflection of blame. I could just see Al writhing on the floor in pain with every confusing word that came out of the mouth of this supposedly smart, level-headed, full-of-integrity, unwavering man. Let the blame game begin…

Reynaldo Ybarra

Do any of the local sports writers actually do research and possibly THINK and try to be objective on this subject? It’s unbelievable what I’ve been reading from local sports writers, who are supposed to be intelligent men and women. Men and women who are supposed to provide insight into sports.
Example – Art Shell is in “over his head”.
The man was AFC Coach of the year in 1990 with a 12-4 record you know who his offensive coordinatoor was?
It was Tom Walsh.
Use your brain a little bit Tim Kawakami, not your emotions like other Raider Haters. The problem with the Raiders is the players lack of performance. If that’s not OBVIOUS then I guess down is up and up is down now. Be a professional if you can Tim Kawakami(& Monte Poole). Right now most of the local media folks look like a bunch of hacks, ignorant at best, hateful at worst. Unbelievable!!

J. Smith

After the first offensive series in the preseason my first utterance was, “uh-oh.” It was clear even then that this offense was underwhelming, at least. So it’s good news that there’s a new offensive coordinator (it’ll be such a relief to be rid of all those smug and tired cracks about pillow mints and scones, too). But I still wonder about a couple things: one esoteric, the other very practical.
First, many used to say that the Dallas Cowboy offense of the mid-90s consisted of “Emmitt left” and “Emmitt right.” Execution was the key to their success. So I wonder: could an offense like Tom Walsh’s work in 2006 IF the personnel could execute it as intended? I’m curious. Regardless, I’m glad it’s gone.
More important, the offensive line is basically the same as last year’s, but is exponentially worse. Why?! Is it solely because they’re being taught a new scheme? The new technique? Are both of those as outmoded as the offense appears to be? I haven’t heard a decent explanation of the drop in quality over the past year. Any of your sources know, Mr. Kawakami?

L. Mitchell

This season has been a fiasco from the players side of the ball. Execution is horrible or non-existent and watching as players stand-by and watch the play unfold without helping their teammate is pathetic. Everyone seems to be out of shape or just plain lazy ( R. Moss?). The offense seemed to be good enough to win at least half of the games played. The ‘Raiduhs’ stood toe to toe with some very good teams, but seemed to wilt in the second half. They need stamina, maybe Jerry Rice’s work out might have helped a lot of people. The team might want to contact a very fit former Raider for tips on how to get in shape in the off season.

IB the Raider KING

All interesting comments. Really, actually very suprised. Good job fellas. I think its really too early to tell about all this. You cant predict history which is what we are trying to do. I can say, that just like in any job, you need the right people in the right places. Shell had some good years, and took the Raiders a long way… Walsh was on board for that. This year? Yea, total disaster. Alot of it falls on the offensive line. Line coach’s fault? Walshes? Shells? I dont know. They have been looking better of late, and could have taken the last three games… and thats with Walsh. Time will tell. Time will tell.

Raymond

Wow Tim thanks for the great insight! Way to dig in and piece together the story of how Tom Walsh is an inept offensive coordinator and how you and Randy Moss don’t like the offense Walsh has designed. Like we should all be really appalled because you and Randy don’t like it. Hey you know what? We could look at it a different way. Let’s say that after 3 straight seasons of mismanagement by Bill Callahan and Norv Turner maybe the Raiders don’t have the talent to field a top notch offensive unit? What do you think? And now everybody from you to the so called experts on ESPN are pounding on Art Shell and company because they can’t reverse years of neglect over an 11 game span? That’s some crafty journalism. Way to dig in and really get to the bottom of the problem with the Raider offense this year. What are you going to tell me next, that there is some what of a mess in Iraq? Really? My final point…if Aaron Brooks had been healthy all year the Raiders beat Cleveland, the Niners, Denver at least once and are probably 5 and 6 looking to win 3 of their last 5 and get to 8 and 8. All that without a significant improvement in their offensive talent from the Callahan/Turner years. Hmmm maybe it’s the team Shell inherited and not the coach?

Johnny

Whats with calling out the sports writer? Did he say anything that wasn’t true? Art Shell came in to do the following things:

1. Bring Discipline (instead he made things worse than last year. Both Porter and Moss don’t want to play, and there have been many more incidents than there was with Norv Turner. Plus the Shell/Lombardi fiasco?)

2. Bring the “Raider mystique” back (Raiders are 2-9… thats some mystique).

3. This is the one he was suppose to be great at: Fix the offensive line (our offensive line is almost the exact same as it was under Norv Turner, yet we are probably going to break a record for how many sacks we give up).

Art Shell has brought nothing to this team.

And you bring up the 1990 team that Tom Walsh was on that went 12-4. Well, they went 12-4 with guys like : BO JACKSON, HOWIE LONG, TIM BROWN, MARCUS ALLEN, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER VERY GOOD PLAYERS. Anyone could have gone 12-4 with that team, so I wouldn’t say Art has shown he is great because of his ONE of his seasons where he went 12-4 two of the greatest running backs of all time, a HOF DE, and a HOF WR.

Vince Evans

“The man was AFC Coach of the year in 1990 with a 12-4 record you know who his offensive coordinatoor was?
It was Tom Walsh.”

Uh, before you chide someone on not doing research, you may want to do some yourself. Walsh’s only other year as OC was in 1994. Terry Robiskie preceded him.

Reynaldo Ybarra

Some people just don’t get it and never will.
What was the point of the previous email??

Job title clarification?

You’re missing the point totally, (no surprise for Haters). The man was critical to Shell’s offensive staff on a 12-4 team! 12-4!! Dispute that!

That’s why Shell wanted him NOT Terry Robiskie as his OC this time around.

You notice Haters can’t dispute the facts. Art Shell AFC Coach of the Year in 1990 – Tom Walsh on his staff.

1990 AFC Coach of the Year!! Dispute that.

Again, I’ll re-state it, to get back on point. The problem with the Raiders NOW is the lack of performance on game day and a lack of quality players.

As I said before it’s UNBELIEVABLE what I read on a regular basis regarding this issue. Think people before you write.